Senior Shipping Specialist Helen Condon talks about her successful career in freight forwarding and her role in developing Farmlands' shipping department, and driving innovation in supply chain processes. 

What did you want to do career-wise when you left school?

I wanted to be a travel agent, but that was very hard to get into at that time. Then I wanted to be a Customs officer, but realised there was shift work involved.

Tell us about your career to date.

Have worked most of my career in the international freight forwarding industry in both Customs Brokerage and Import Operational roles. I "jumped" to the customer side a few years ago so could use the freight knowledge to optimise supply chain functions within a business.

What led you to Farmlands? 

The opportunity arose to be a part of the development of the shipping department within Farmlands. My last role was similar but with an already established importer so some processes were already in place. With this role there was a blank canvas to begin with.

How have you grown in your time with us at Farmlands? 

Continually growing in confidence to call out what should be done, or what could be done better.

What have been your key achievements / what are you most proud of at Farmlands? 

I have been responsible for establishing and refining the start-up and operational processes for the shipping department, which continue to evolve. My work colleagues are great to work with, collaborating together to achieve common goals. Being involved in the direct sourcing initiative is particularly exciting, especially now that it's gaining significant momentum.

What would your advice be for someone who's interested in a career in your area at Farmlands? 

There are some freight forwarding courses run periodically by the industry. Customer service skills are a must, alongside being agile to change. Freight is never the same so every day is different.

Interested in learning more about our Supply Chain team?

Check out our Supply Chain page for more details.

Interested in working with Helen in the Supply Chain Team?

Connect with us on our careers site and check out our current Vacancies, or get in touch via careers@farmlands.co.nz.